Chain tool



Patented Apr. 273.1929.

UNITED sTATi-:s'fP-ATENT' OFFICE.

HENRY sfr. PrRRRn, or WORCESTER, MAssAoHUsE'rTs'AssiGNoR To s'i. PIERRECHAIN CORPORATION, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATIONOF iyrAssAcn@ CHAIN Toon kApplicationv filed SeptemberA 3;, 192th.` Serial No. 133,499.

' This invention relates to a tool lused for opening and closing links of cross chains p ar ticularly, although .capable of performing similar operations on other chains and `in other places.

The principal objects of the invention are' f to provide a strong and durable tool efficient for opening and closing links'of allsizes, provided with'means for gripping the links' so that they cannot slip, having no operating surfaces that project out in the way 'where they are likely to get broken and having a material advantage in leverageI over the tools now on the market. f

Another object of the vide handle levers in duplicate forml so they can be made in a single set of dies..

` Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings in which Fig.

invention is to prothat 1 is a side view of a chain tool constructed in accordance with this `invention and shown closed;

F ig.' 2 is an edge view` of the same Fig. 3 is an end viewof the jaws;

Fig. 4L is a view similarto Fig. 1, enlarged and showing the jaws open justl commencing the closing operation On a small link;

Fig. 5 isl a perspectiveY view of the tool shown as used for closing a large link, one wire at a time; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the tool in use for opening a link.

The tool is made up of two pairs of elements. The handles or operating levers 10 are formed by foi-gings and arranged 4to be pivoted together on a stud 11i` They are forged exactly alike and turned over or reversed to bring them into the position shown. Each one is provided with a projecting arni 12 in alignment substantially'with the handleand located beyond the` pivot stud. It will be noticed that this arm is very short while the operating arm is verylong. This gives an extremely advantageous leverage.

The other pair of elements are'jaw leversv 13. These also aie pivoted on a pivot st ud 14. Fach one has a long arm which isy pivotedto thesliort end of one of the arms 12 byr a pivot stud 15. This 'army preferably -is longer than the jaw 16 which is located on the other side of the stud 14. Therefore there is a further increase in leverage here so that I get a powerful leverage. The pivot studs -11 andl 14 are spaced apart andv parallel,v with the terminal edges of the jaws 16 and of the billsA 17.

i The opening bills 17 when in closed position as shown in F ig. 1, pass each other, each having a curved surface fitting the' adjacent surface of the other and concentric with the pivotvstud '14. The jaws 16 aie designed not tocoine into meeting contact atall.k They are simply angular projections located at the sides of the bills 17 and yhaving straight parallel V-shaped ends for engaging both wires or one.

wire at the time and closing a link as shown in Figs. l and 5 respectively.` They vare located in convenientv positionat the side of the bills 17 which are used inopening the linkslas indicated in Fig. 6. They are sharp enough to nick Vthe link and grip it firmly so that it will not slip or tilt. f

' ln theuseof the device the vold link isy .opened in the Hway that is coi'nn'ion inthis lineby forcingthe bills 17in between the `turnedover `ends of the hooker link as shown .in'Fig 6. For closing a large link7-as in Fig.

.5, oneend o f the link is forced linwardly by the jaws 16,111 the position shown.Y Thenr the.

tool is turned over. and the othe'rfside' forced down against the long bar of the link. Small links can be closed by one motion with the same tool as shown in Fig. l. The bills 17 have side faces parallel with theplanes of their movement which afford guiding surfaces for the links and hold them against tilting. This constitutes a compact tool having a very advantageous leverage and the two handles are made in the same dies aiidturned over to make them rights and lefts. This reduces the cost of manufacture and simplifies the construction and also reduces the cost of repairs.

on the part of the operator to open and close large chain links.

The heads of the'y jaws are ythick and heavy and the whole structure isvery strong and durable.v

Although I have illustrated and describe( Vonly asingle form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art Y Without departing from the scope ofthe in-v vention as expressed in the claims. There-` fore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what I do claim is l. A chain tool comprisinga pair of jaw members pivoted together, each having a link separating bill and a link closing jaw parallel with each other across the jaw member and in juxtaposition, the closing jaws having edges remaining far apart when the jaws are closed as far as possible, said separating bills having side faces parallel with their planes of movement and alfording guiding surfaces for the chain link yto be opened.-

2. A chain tool comprising a pairrof jaw members having a pair of bills having edges for separating ylinks and sides affording guiding surfaces and having .adjacent thereto a pair of closing aws separated from' each other when closed as far as possible, said closing having opposite edges parallel with the edges of the bills for engaging and gripping the outer surfaces of the link and holding the same against slipping.

3. A Achain tool comprising a pair of jawJ members, each member having a link separating `bill terminating in an edge and a link closing jaw parallel with each other across the jaw member and in juxtaposition, the closing jaws having V-shaped edges and parallel with the edges of the bills for preventing the slipping of the link.

l. A chain tool comprising a pair of jaw vmembers each having a link separating bill and a link closing jaw, each having edges of a material length parallel with each other across the jaw member, each bill being' in juxtaposition with the jaw on the same jaw member, the closing jaws being located directly on the sides of the bills and the jaw members being pivoted together on an axis parallelv to said edges, the sides of theseparating bills being parallel to their planes of motion and affording guiding surfaces. j

5. A chain tool comprising a pair of jaw memberseach having a link separating bill and a link closing` jaw parallel withv each other across the jaw member and in juxtaposition, the bills having terminal edges, the closing jaws Vbeing located directly on the sides of the bills, having edges, andV being pivoted together on an axis parallel to their edges and the bills closing past each other on the arc of a circle drawn from the pivot as a center and having sides parallel with their .entirely together.

7. A chain tool comprising a pair of jaw members each having a link separating bill and a link closing jaweach having a transverse edge parallel with the other across the jaw member and located adjacent to each other, the closing jaws' having edges located in a position to remain far apart when they are in their limiting closed position. l

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HENRY sT. Pinnen. 

